THE parents of a 17-year-old boy killed in a car being driven by a friend have called for tougher driving laws to prevent similar tragedies.

Adam and Michelle King said there was a culture of young men using their cars as a way to gain respect among friends, but warned: "When you get behind the wheel, you are in control of a loaded weapon."

The couple were speaking to the Gazette after Alex Jaggs, 19, of Eastcote Road, Ruislip, was jailed for causing the death of their son, Jack King, last May. Mrs King said: "I am thinking of campaigning about it. Our lives have been turned upside down, devastated. We will serve our sentence for the rest of our lives.

"They said Alex Jaggs was a shy boy, but when he was behind the wheel of a car, he became someone else. It was his way of getting people to look up to him."

The crash happened in Elm Avenue, Eastcote, as the friends were on their way to buy food at KFC in Ruislip High Street. Jaggs was driving his new Ford Fiesta Zetec and Jack was in the front seat.

A court heard that although Jaggs had not been drinking, he was driving aggressively to 'show off' in front of his fellow passengers. He had earlier passed a group of younger teenagers on the pavement, and was driving back towards them at twice the speed limit, veering on to the wrong side of the road when he swerved away and hit a tree, killing Jack.

Mr King said: "It could have been even worse that night. Jaggs could have killed the other two passengers and the kids on the pavement. He should have been banned from driving for life, but he will be on the road again in five years. It could happen again."

The family is disappointed that prosecutors decided against charging Jaggs with manslaughter. Had they done so, they would have run the risk of losing the court case and Jaggs getting no conviction at all.

Having been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, he received the maximum sentence for a guilty plea - five years in jail - and was banned from driving for five years.

But the King family wants tougher driving laws introduced, for example raising the age at which a test can be taken or rules against driving unsupervised or owning a car until a certain age.

Mrs King continued: "There should be something done about boy racers. There are so many others like Jaggs who just think it is a bit of fun, but they haven't got a clue about the devastation it can cause."

The Kings have three other children. Until a few years ago, they were all living in North Drive, Ruislip. Jack attended Field End Road Infant and Junior School before going to Northwood School, where he did his GCSEs in 2009.

He was a keen artist and rugby player who was attending a construction course at East Berkshire College. He had worked at his father's storage business and was very popular.

Mr King said: "He had to be clever in other ways to make up for his dyslexia. He was always willing to help at work, and the other guys said what they liked about him was that he joined in as one of the team and didn't expect any privileges just because he was working with his dad."

Jack had been dating his girlfriend, Paige Gardener, for more than two years, and was due to spend the evening with her on the night he died.

Mr King said: "His death has affected thousands of people who knew him, not just us." Just three weeks after Jack's death, 18-year-old James Whybrow was killed in Cuckoo Hill, Eastcote. He had also been a front-seat passenger.